Learn How To Wear A Double Breasted Suit

Double-breasted suits [also known as DB suits] are statement pieces that speak volumes, you should wear them on days where you want to make a bold statement with your suit.

Some time ago, I attended a friend’s wedding dressed up in a double-breasted suit. At the wedding reception, I sat with my friends Josh and Jack sipping champagne which they served us, with a plate of perfectly grilled delicious lamb chops.😉

A couple of ladies who sat across our table kept on staring at me; our eyes met briefly and I looked away. I noticed they kept glancing back at our table while we were eating. I looked their way again and could instantly sense some “subtle” flirting signs as they clearly weren’t bothered if I noticed.

At one point during the event, while we were dancing, one of the ladies walked up to me and complimented me on my DB Suit, and not too long after her friend joined her and introduced herself with a handshake. 

Now, I must confess we were all dressed to impress. Jack and Josh looked really great in their sleek native wear outfit and check blazers respectively, however, the look of jealousy on their faces was second to none. Hahaha. 😎

From the expression on Jack and Josh’s faces, they couldn’t actually figure out what made these beautiful ladies throw compliments at me – if it was my thick luxurious beards, the Tom Ford sunglasses I wore, my mixed black patent loafers with velvet vamp or was it my Double Breasted Suit? They just couldn’t figure it out.

Clearly, these ladies were making flirtatious advances towards me because of my look – my Double-breasted suit look.

For me, I knew it was my DB suit and the way I styled it. After all, it is the easiest way to show off a bit while still looking classy. Wearing it to a dressy event such as a wedding shows you are a style step above everyone else.

A lot of people have heard about the Double Breasted Suit, few actually own it, a handful wears it appropriately.

So today, I’m here to tell you how to wear double-breasted suits, but before we go further, let us take a moment and explain what the term double-breasted means.

ALL ABOUT DOUBLE BREASTED SUIT

The term double-breasted refers to a blazer or jacket with wide, overlapping front flaps and two parallel columns of buttons or snaps; by contrast, a single-breasted coat has a narrow overlap and only one column of buttons. In most modern double-breasted coats, one column of buttons is decorative, while the other is functional.

The other buttons, placed on the outside edge of the coat breast, allow the overlap to fasten reversibly, right lapel over left lapel. To strengthen the fastening, a functional inner-button, called the anchor button or the jigger, is usually added to parallel-fasten the overlapped layers together from the inside.

Double-breasted suit jackets were popular from the mid-1930s until the late 1950s, and again from the mid-1980s to the early 2000s. Now it’s back…more stylish than ever.

Now, that we all know what a double-breasted suit is, here is how to rock it.

HOW AND WHEN TO WEAR A DOUBLE BREASTED SUIT | 14 RULES

Style Tip #1.

Double breasted come either a 4×1, 4×2, 6×1, 6×2, 6×3 or 8×3 button constructions [the first number indicates the number of the buttons, the second indicates the number of buttons that can be fastened]. However, the most common button constructions are 6×2 [total of six buttons with two working buttons…with only one buttoned] and 4×2 [total of four buttons with two working buttons…with only one buttoned]. See picture above.

Style Tip #2.

Never fasten the bottom button of a double-breasted jacket unless it’s a 4 X 1 or 6X1 configuration, whereby you should button the only button-able button when sitting or standing.

Style Tip #3.

The “anchor button” also known as the jigger which is the button on the inside should be fastened at all times.

Style Tip #4.

They should never come in single vent, they should either come with double side vents or no vents at all.

Style Tip #5.

The double-breasted suit should always have peak lapels. The notch lapel is ideal for single-breasted suits, blazers, and sports coats and should never be used for DB Suits.

ALSO READ: SUIT LAPEL STYLES | NOTCH, PEAK, and SHAWL

Style Tip #6.

Due to the double-breasted jacket’s construction, it is not recommended to wear a double-breasted suit unbuttoned in public. It doesn’t look great unbuttoned. For the sake of comfort, you can temporarily unbutton it while sitting, but button up once you are standing.

Style Tip #7.

The double breasted suit isn’t a great choice for large men or men with exceptionally wide hips. If this is you, it’s best to stick to single-breasted suits.

RECOMMENDED READING: 10 FASHION AND STYLE TIPS FOR LARGE MEN

Style Tip #8.

If you are not on the big side but you have “pot belly”, you should always wear a dark colored DB suit as it would help hide the guts.

Style Tip #9.

It is better to wear a French-cuff shirt (and cuff links) with your double breasted suit for formal events.

Style Tip #10.

You should wear a pocket square with your double breasted suits whether it’s for a formal or an informal occasion.

Style Tip #11.

You can wear it with either a bow tie or neck tie. For smart casual look or business casual look, you can skip the tie entirely.

ALSO READ: 10 TIE RULES ALL MEN NEED TO KNOW

Style Tip #12.

The double breasted suit is already a bold statement, therefore you should avoid adding bold patterned shirts, ties, and accessories to your look. Keep them in simple solid colors and in basic patterns; Don’t worry about showing off a little more, the DB suit alone can do all the talking.

Style Tip #13.

DB suits can be worn in any situation such as to the office, to an event [weddings, dinner and other dressy events] and even to the bar. Ultimately, you should wear it as an elegant and charismatic alternative to the single breasted suit.

A MUST READ: STYLE INSPIRATION FOR GENTLEMEN | HOW TO DRESS SHARP

Style Tip #14. 

For more relaxed look, you could break your double breasted suit up by pairing the jacket with a casual trouser.

Now that I’ve shown you how to wear your double breasted suit, go on and make a bold statement with your Double Breasted Suit and let us know how this goes.

FURTHER READING: 25 SUIT RULES ALL MEN NEED TO KNOW

FINAL THOUGHTS

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Thank you so much for stopping by and for reading till the end. Until next time, continue to do well, live well, and dress really well. Stay Classy, always!

READ NEXT: Can You Wear Your Double Breasted Suit Unbuttoned
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Mr. Kobi

My name is Kobi O. Mbagwu, a professional image consultant, menswear style expert, and entrepreneur who uses fashion, style and clothing as key tools in transforming ordinary men into extraordinary classy gentlemen. My personal goal is to help gentlemen dress better, live well, do well and develop a unique personal style that matches their lifestyle and goals. I believe that success can be built through style. I believe that fashion is a tool that can be used to change people’s lives positively. I also strongly believe that if you dress well, you look good, and if you look good, you feel good and when you feel good, you worry less, and the less you worry the more you are able to stay motivated and focused on your goals pursuit and by so doing you are able to live a more fulfilling and successful life.

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